Telephone-relay.



H. G. WEBSTER.

TELEPHONE RELAY.

APPLICATION FILED APB.11,1912.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

HARRY G. WEBSTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLT INDIS.

TELEPHONE-RELAY.

Application filed April 11, 1912.

T 0 alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, T'IARRY G. lVEBsTnii, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone-Relayfd of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to relays generally and more particularly to relays for use in telephone systems.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide'a relay of this class which shall be (1) compact in structure even though provided with a large number of contacts for the control of a plurality of circuits, cheaper to construct while at the same time providing better electrical contact than the commonly employed relays where platinum is used at the contact points, (3) less liable to gather dust on the contact surfaces and thereby less liable to cause imperfect contacts than relays of the type now commonly employed, (1) provided with contact surfaces so arranged that burning due to sparking will not prevent the establishment of proper circuit relations, as now frequently occurs with relays having plati num contact points.

In carrying out my invention I preferably employ fixed contact strips mounted s de by side on edge and provide cooperating wiping contacts which preferably enter the spaces between the contact strips and, by making a wiping engagement with them, establish good electrical connections.

The several features and advantages of my invention will be more fully understood upon reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, "and the scope of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation 'of a relay constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same showing parts in section taken on a plane indicated by the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 isa side elevationof asecond relav constructed in accordance with my invention in which the resiliency resides in the wiper contact rather than in the cooperating contact strips; Fig. 41 1S aplan view of one of the wiper contacts of Fig 3; F g. 5 is a plan view of the contact strips with which such wipers cooperate; Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale. of

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 19. .4.

Serial No. 680,148.

the contacts of Fig. 3, the section being taken on a plane indicated by the line l3-6 of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a third relay constructed in accordance with my invention and illustrating a different armature and contact arrangement; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation of a fourth relay constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 9 is a plan view of the contact arrangement of the relay of Fig, 8; and Fig. 10 shows a modified form of Wiping contact. Throughout these views like characters refer to like parts.

Referring to the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, 10 designates the usual relay winding mounted upon a spool having the heads 11 and connection terminals 12. The core upon which the spool is mounted terminates at one end in a pole face 123, and at the other end in a threaded extension ll, provided with nuts 15, 16 for securing the magnetic angle frame 17 to the core and the assembly relay to the mounting strip. The pole face 13 and the forward end of the angle frame 17 constitute the polar extremities of the relay magnet. The armature 18 is of the usual angular form and rests at its angle upon the knife ed; a the forward end of the angle frai 17 The usual screw 20 passing through an opening in the armature into the end of the frame 1.7, maintains the armature in proper operative position. A spring 21 bears upon the rear end of the angular extension 22 of the armature, to yieldingly hold it out of engagement with, and away from, the pole face 13. The rear end of the spring 21 is slidably supported in the insulating mounting23 carried upon the fra'ine 17. The rear end of the spring 21 beyond the end of the mounting 23 is pro vided with a bifurcated up-turned end 2% which embraces a reduced portion of the screw threaded into the rear of the mounting By screwing the screw 25 into and out of the mounting 23 the position of the return spring 21 and its degree of tension upon the armature 18, may be va ried. The insulating mounting 23 also carries a number of pairs of spring terminal contacts. Any desired number of such con tacts may be employed and in the present instance I have shown eleven pairs S26. 27 and ten pairs 28, 29. As clearly illustrated. the contacts of the former pairs have downwardly extending projections at their outer before the circuit between 47 and 49 is closed. By making the wiper contacts broader as illustrated at T2, the second circuit may beelosed before the-first is opened and. vice versa. 01', again, by replacing the wide strip, such as 49, by two narrow strips, such as 55 and 56, and providing relatively narrow wipercontacts 69, wholly separate and distinct circuits may be controlled. In other words, in the case of contacts and 5 1, 56, the circuitsare wholly separate and'independent while in the case of contacts 47, 49 and 4:8, 49, the circuit always extends through contact 49. This is also true of contacts 50, 52 and 51. 52.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 7, the winding 7 3 and'spool'73' are similar/to those already described; the magnetic angle frame 74 terminates, similarly to the angle frame 36 of the second form of the invention, in extensions 75. The armature 76 is likewise pivoted between the extensions 7 5 and is provided with a rearward extension 77 which engages the under side of the frame 74 to limit the outward move ment of the armature 76. The reduced end 78 of the core extends through the angle frame 74 and the mounting strip '79 and is held in place by a nut 80. A'- coiled tension spring 81 is secured at one end to the mounting strip 79 and at the other end to the lower end of a strip 82 which is adjustably secured upon the outer face of the armature 76 by screws 83 passing through slots in the strip. By screwing the screws 83 down tight, the strip 82 may be held in any desired position of adjustment. It will be seen that by-shifting the strip 82 the effective pull of the spring 81 upon the armature may be varied. In this instancethe spring terminal contact strips 84 and 85 are mounted in the insulating member 86, secured to the mounting strip in any suitable way, as by means of the bolts 87 and nuts 88. These strips 84 and 85' have their outer ends shaped and positioned like the strips 26 and 28 of the first form of the invention. In this instance these strips are also arranged in pairs just as in the first form of the invention. But the action of the flat wiper contact 89 is approximately at right angles to that.of the wiper contactof the first form of the invention, by reason of the fact that the wiper is mounted at the outer end of the armature instead of on its rearward angular projection. This mounting, as before, may be made in difi'erent ways. As shown, the wiper contact 89 is secured to an insulating support 90 which is in turn secured by screws, such as 91, to the end of the armature 7 6. By this construction the wiper contact-'89 is insulated from the armature and serves to bridge adjacent pairs of contacts.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, the armature 92 is pivoted between-extensions 93 upon the angle frame 94 just as in Fig. 3. A nub 95 on the lower side of the rearward extension 96 of armature 92 serves to limit the outward movement of the armature, occasioned by the return spring-97 riveted'at its rear end to the top of frame 94. In this form of the invention the contact springs 98, 99, 100, 101, are mounted side by side on edge in the insulating support 102 and are provided with rear wardextensions 103' arranged for soldered or other connections. In the normal position-0f the'relay, the circuits between some of the contact strips are closed and between others open. As shown, the spherical end of wiping contact 104 normally bridges con tacts 100, 101 and completes the circuit be tween them, while that of wiping contact 105 is normally out of engagementwith con tacts 98 and 99. \Vhen the parts are in the attracted position, onthe other hand, wiping contact' 101* is moved upward out of engagement with contacts 100 and 101 and wiping contact 105 is moved into engagement with contacts 98 and 99 to establish circuit between them. In this form of the invention, the contacts 101 and 105 are suitably mounted in an insulating support 106 secured to the upper face of the extension 96 of the armature 92. 7

Upon. a consideration of the above description taken in connection with the illustration, it will be seen that I have provided a relay by which thevarious ol jects enumerated at the beginning of the specification are attained. It will also be apparent that my invention is capable of diverse application and that the same might be employed in relays of many other types and forms than those illustrated and described herein. It will also be apparent that certain alterations and modifications may be made in the different forms of the invention herein disclosed'without depmting from the spirit and scope of the invention. I therefore do not wish to be unduly hunted but aim to cover all such adaptations, alterations and modifications by the terms of the appended claims What I claim as new and desire 'to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A 'multi-contacttelephone relay comprising an insulating mounting, a series of flexible contact springs carried at one end by said mounting and extending therefrom side by side il'orming a bank, said springs individually lying in substantially parallel planes intersecting the plane of the bank. an armature, a magnet structure to actuate said armature secured in compact overlapping relation with said bank and present ing opposite polar ext" itics to said armature, and a series. of neg contact mem bers movable in planes intersecting the plane of said bank and actuated responsive to movement of said armature to electrically engage the free ends of certain of said springs.

2. A multi-contact telephone relay comprising an insulating mounting, a series of flexible contact springs carried at one end by said mounting and extending therefrom side by side forming a bank, said springs individually lying in substantially parallel planes intersecting the plane of the bank, an armature, a magnet structure to actuate said armature positioned side by side and substantially co-extensive in space with said bank and presenting opposite polar extremities to said armature, and a series of wiping contact members movable in planes intersecting the plane of said bank and actuated responsive to movement of said armature to electrically engage the free ends of c-t:r tain of said springs.

3. A 1nulti-contact telephone relay comprising an armature, a magnetstructure to actuate said armature and presenting opposite polar extremities thereto, an insulating mounting rigidly related to said magnet structure, a series of flexible contact springs carried atone end by said mounting and extending therefrom side by side forming a bank, said springs individually lying in edgewise relation to said magnet structure, and a series of wiping contact members movable in planes intersecting the plane of said bank and actuated responsive to move 'ment of said armature to electrically engage the free ends of certain of said springs.

4. A multi-contact telephone relay comprising an armature, a magnet structure to actuate said armature and presenting opposite polar extremities thereto, an insulating mounting rigidly related to said magnet structure, a series of flexible contact springs; supported by said mounting in edgcivise relation to said magnet structure, said springs collectively forming a bank having overlapping relation With said magnet structure.

and a. series of wiping contact members movable in planes intersectin3, the plane of said bank and actuated responsive to movement of said armature. to electrically engage the fre i nds of certain of said springs.

A multi-contact telephone relay comprising an armature. a magnet structure to actuate said armature and presenting opposite polar extremities thereto. an insulating mounting rigidly related to said magnet structure. a series of contact springs carried at one nd by said mounting and extending therefrom side by side forming a bank sub stantially co-cxtensive with said magnet structure. said springs having free ends iexibie in the direction of the plane of the bani-c. and a fitfl'lt roi wiping contact menibers movable in intersecting the plane of said bank and actuated responsive planes to movement of said armature. to electri-' cally engage the free ends of certain of said springs.

6. A relay structure comprising an electromagnet, an angle rame, an angular armature actuated by said electro-magnet fulcrumed on said frame and having an extension lying in close proximity to said frame, contact springs secured to the rear end of said frame and having their free ends extending forward above said armature extension, said contact springs being also mounted side by side in a plane parallel to said elcctromagnet and indi idually occupying planes substantial y at right angles to the axis of said armature, and w ping contacts carried by said arinatin'e extension and movable under the action of said armature into and out of engagement with adjacent cooperating contact springs.

7. A muiti-contact relay comprising an electro-magnet core and inding, a frame of magnetic material constituting a polar extension of said core, an armature iulcruincd on said frame in operative relation with said core. antl actuated responsive to current in said Winding, ail insulating mounting rigidly related to said frame, a series of flexible contact springs carried at one end by said mounting and extending therefrom side by side forming a bank having overlapping relation with said frame and core said springs individually lying in edgewise relation to said frame, and a second series of contact members movable in planes intersecting the plane of said bank and actuated rcsponsim to movement of said armature to make wiping electrical engagement. with cer tain of said springs.

8. In a inulti-contact relay the combination of an armature, an elcctro-magnet to actuate said arnmtnre and presenting opposite polar extremities thereto, an insulating mounting contiguous and rigidly related to said magnet, a series of spring contacts carricd atone end by said mounting and extending therefrmn side by side forming a bank overlapping sa l magnet, said contacts individiially lying in parallel planes at right angles to the plane of the bank, a series of contacts forming a second bank underlying and positioned opposite to the free ends of said spring contacts and means whereby the attractive movement of said armature will bring contacts of said second bank into wiping cicctri :al engagement with contacts of the first mentioned bank.

9. in a multi-contact relay the combination of an armature, an electroanagnet to actuate said armature and presenting opposite poiar extremities thereto. an insulating mounting ci'intiguous and rigidly rial-ed to said magnet, a series of spring contacts carried at one end by said mounting and extending therefrom side by side forming a.

bank overlapping said magnet, said contacts individually lying in parallel planes at right angles to the plane of the bank, a series of contacts forming a second bank positioned opposite to the free ends of said spring contacts and an angular extension of said armature overlapping the magnet and actuated on the attractive movement of the armature to bring contacts of said second bank into wiping electrical engagement with contacts of the first mentioned bank.

- 10. A multi-contact relay comprising a magnet structure, an armature actuated thereby, an insulating mounting rigidly related to said magnet structure, a series of contact springs carried at one end by said mounting and extending therefrom side by side forming a bank havingoverlapping relation with said magnet structure, said springs being provided at their free ends with angular extensions projecting toward said magnet structure and individually lying in substantially parallel planes intersecting the plane of the bank, and a series of contact members movable in planes intersecting the plane of said bank actuated responsive to movement of said armature to make Wiping electrical engagement with said extensions of certain ofsaid springs.

11. A multi-contact relay comprising a magnet structure, an armature actuated thereby, an insulating mounting rigidly related to said magnet structure, a series of pairs of flexible contact springs carried at one end by said mounting and extending therefrom side by side forming a bank, said springs individually lying in edgewise relation to said magnet structure, and a series of certain of said pairs of springs to make wiping electrical engagement therewith and equalize the thrust against said wiping con-- tacts.

12. In a multi-contact switch the combination of a magnet structure comprising an electro-magnet and a. frame, an insulating mounting rigidly related thereto, a series of flexible contact sprin carried at one end by said mounting an extending therefrom side by side forming a bank having overlapping relation with said magnet structure, said springs individually lying in edgewise relation to said magnet structure, an armature actuated by and, fulcrumed on said magnet structure, and a series of wiping contact members forming a. second bank c0- eXtensive transverselywith the jfirst men tioned bank and actuated responsive to movement of saidarmature to engage certain of said springs. I

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th day of April, 1912.

HARRY G. WEBSTER.

l/Vitnesses:

KATE S. Homms, FLORENCE WICKLIN. 

